Demarcus Riddick injury update: Interim Auburn coach DJ Durkin reveals surgery for linebacker

Auburn has been hit hard by injuries this season. Now linebacker Demarcus Riddick is out for the season due to a shoulder injury that required surgery.

Interim coach DJ Durkin noted Wednesday on an SEC teleconference call that the sophomore will miss the rest of the season. He just underwent an operation.

“Demarcus, we made the decision in the bye week that he had surgery,” Durkin said. “And that was season-ending surgery for Demarcus. I just think it was the best thing for him to get that done and keep moving forward and hopefully move up that return date to where he can have some offseason time to get his body right and be in a position to go play like he’s capable of next year.”

Demarcus Riddick has had a diminishing influence for the program over the course of the season, though perhaps that’s to be expected with the injury. The drop-off has been noticeable, though.

After recording 10 tackles in the first five games of the season, Riddick has tallied just three tackles in the last five games. He’s got 13 tackles on the season, 1.0 tackles for a loss, 1.0 sacks, two passes defended and two pass breakups.

“Yeah, it’s been frustrating for him,” Durkin said of Demarcus Riddick. “And to his credit, he’s fought through and really tried to do everything he’s capable of each week and he prepares well and does all the things he needs to do treatment wise. It’s been one of those things where it’s not been able to really overcome it, and I think it shows in his play and he knows it and he’s frustrated by it.”

Rather than continue to try to gut it out at less than 100%, Demarcus Riddick will undergo surgery. The Tigers will be hoping he makes a full recovery and can get back to his freshman form.

As a freshman, Reddick posted 27 tackles, 5.0 tackles for a loss and 3.0 sacks. He also broke up one pass and defended another.